Home Remedies for Canker Sores

Looking for home remedies for canker sores? These canker sores natural remedies are easy to use and involve many ingredients you already have at home.

Don't confuse canker sores with cold sores. While cold sores are caused by the herpes virus, canker sores are caused by a bacterial infection in the mouth. Canker sores are usually white or yellowish in the center with a red border. Unlike cold sores these sores aren't contagious.

Let's look at some of the best natural canker sore remedies.

Aloe Vera Juice

Aloe has a soothing effect and can help speed healing. Put some aloe juice on your sore two to three times daily.

Keep Your Mouth Clean

Add one tablespoon of hydrogen peroxide to a glass of water and swish it around your mouth to clean out your sore. You can also mix one teaspoon of salt and one teaspoon of baking soda in a glass of warm water and swish it around in your mouth several times daily. If you have grapefruit seed oil in your house you can mix 5 drops in a glass of water and rinse your mouth out with it several times a day.

Vitamins and Minerals

If you get frequent canker sores you may have a vitamin deficiency. A deficiency in vitamin B12 is commonly thought of as a cause, but deficiencies in these other vitamins could also contribute.

• folate
• zinc
• iron
• selenium
• calcium

Herbs

When used as home remedies for canker sores, these herbs speed healing.

• goldenseal
• licorice
• echinacea
• sage
• calendula
• myrrh
• chamomile

You can use these herbs to make tea to rinse out your mouth. Make a tea by pouring a cup of boiling water over several teaspoons of your chosen herb. Let it steep for at lest 10 minutes. Once it cools strain the tea and swish it around in your mouth.

Ice

Ice won't heal your sore but it will deaden the pain. Put ice on your sore for a few minutes three times daily.

Diet

Canker sores could be the result of a sensitivities to certain foods. People commonly blame tomatoes for sores. It's true that some people have a sensitivity to tomatoes that causes sores. There are other foods that can cause them too. They include:

• nuts
• chocolate
• shellfish
• coffee
• cereal grains
• mild and cheese
• citrus fruit
• food dyes
• food additives

Avoiding these foods may reduce the number of canker sores you get.

Making sure you eat a healthy well balanced diet full of alkalizes green leafy vegetables will cut help home remedies for canker sores to work more quickly.

Including fermented foods in your diet like kefir, yogurt, and raw sauerkraut will help balance bacteria levels in your mouth.

Stress

Stress also contributes to the formation of mouth sores. Managing the stress in your life and learning how to relax will help reduce sores. Try mediation, yoga, hobbies or exercise to manage stress. Simple breathing techniques can also help you manage stress.

Toothpastes and Mouthwash

Toothpastes and mouthwashes that contain sodium lauryl sulfate (SLS) have been linked to mouth sores. SLS dries out the tissue in the mouth making it more vulnerable to sores. Simply brushing with a SLS free toothpaste or toothsoap has been shown to cut the formation of canker sores by 81%.

If you found these home remedies for canker sores useful you may like to read more readies on my Free Home Remedies page.

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